1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to interconnected packaging, and more particularly to interconnected bottles.
2. Related Art
It is commercially desirable to be able to offer two or more related products together in one package to a consumer. For example, a manufacturer might wish to package together different flavored syrups, or condiments for sandwiches, or even bath products. Conventional solutions to packaging-related or companion products have many shortcomings.
In some conventional companion product packaging, the individual containers cannot stand up by themselves until joined to their counterparts. Containers that cannot stand up by themselves complicate automated manufacturing processes that often require transporting the containers on a conveyor system in an upright position. In particular, containers which can not stand up or maintain an upright position are harder to fill automatically and separately.
Other conventional companion product packaging is comprised of two containers, different in shape from one another, joined in a “lock and key” type interlocking configuration. This configuration has several disadvantages. For example, manufacture of the individual containers requires bottle manufacturing molds having different mold shapes from one another for molding the different container shapes. The use of two or more different molds slows production and increases production costs. Further, a “lock and key” type interlocking configuration requires relatively complex movements to connect the bottles together in preparing the finished product. For example, connecting the containers may require lifting one container relative to the other. Adding steps to or complicating the manufacturing process increases production costs and may require the development of additional automated manufacturing systems.
What is needed then, is an interconnected container package that overcomes the shortcomings of the conventional solutions.